Alright well, I guess I'm here to not only file a report but to warn ANYONE that might be interested in using John Robert Powers to pursue their careers. I know it is tempting and they seem professional, but don't waste your time, or even give them the time of day. They are scam artists. It's quite funny actually.in this report I will tell you everything that happened to me in my experience in Suite 100 of the John Robert Powers corporation.
I am 15 years old. One day I was searching online for auditions for myself to pursue my acting and modeling career. I came accross a website that looked quite professional. As an ignorant child I signed up for it. I gave them my phone number and address and told them a little bit about myself. About two weeks later I recieved a phone call from a very polite male during school hours. He left me a message, using my first name, he told me that there was an audition set up for me. The first time where I noticed that something was "off" about this organization was the fact that they didn't mention my parents coming once. My mother noticed this and told me that I couldn't attend this so called "audition." I was upset. I thought this could actually help me in some way with my acting and maybe even modeling. I thought I would never hear back from them again... Little did I know, they never give up.
About two to three months later I was outside on my roof tanning with my friend when I recieved a call from a very polite female named Christina. She told me there was a very important man from the Nickelodeon casting organization ready to look at the talent I had, and that he was looking for new children my age for his new project in California. I was ABSOLUTELY thrilled! She gave me all the information about my audition. She told me the address and phone number of the suite. She also told me that I couldn't wear jeans or gym shoes and that I needed to bring a picture of myself. On top of that she told me I would need to be attended by a parent or gaurdian. After this I could not wait another second for my audition! I called my parents right away, and they were happy as well. My father would be the one taking me. I was nervous all weekend for this "audition, " and again... Little did I know, it was quite the little scam.
Sunday was finally there, and I got myself all ready. I looked the best I could look, thinking that I was ready for what was in store for me. As soon as we walked through the door I was blown away. Right off the bat I thought that it was a very professional place! There were pictures everywhere of different famous actors, singers, models, and dancers. Underneath there were captions which explained that the people in the photos were J.R.P. Graduates. This excited me, which I think was supposed to be the effect.
The women at the front desk were very inviting. They told me to sign in and gave me a slip to fill out. It asked some very personal questions. The most humorous question to me was the fact that they asked the occupations of my parents. Why would they need to know that? Perhaps to see if my family could afford the classes? I think so. They also asked why I was interested in the auditions, what kind of experience I had, what school I went to, and many other questions. On the back of the sheet there was a list of different things that the evaluators would look at which included my hair and skin type, my height and weight, posture, interview skills and much more.
We all got called into a room from the lobby. The room was filled with many pictures of movies and famous people, that were supposidely graduates of J.R.P. A woman walked into the room. She looked professional, until she started talking. She had a very European accent, and she was very ugly. She explained to us that she knew she had an accent, but that she had modeled all over the world, yeah right. It's funny how no one in the room had ever heard of her! Still, most of us were impressed. Then she told us a little more about the whole J.R.P.organization, except for the fact that we weren't even auditioning for the academy instead of Nickelodeon. Then she introduced us to Collen (her last name is unknown, they don't use those, perhaps in fear of a law suit?) Collen made her way through the people acting like she was famous herself. She seemed very welcoming and outgoing. She explained to us how she had been one of us, a shy girl who's mother brought her into the auditions just to get her to be less shy. She explained to us that with our parents help and our hard work we could achieve our dreams if we wanted them bad enough. She also said we would need to let J.R.P.into our lives to help us pursue these dreams. She told us that our parents would need to have "open minds" (yeah, more like open wallets) with J.R.P. She also found it convenient at that point to let our parents know never to tell an agent or an organization how to do their jobs, because they knew best. (Again... YEAH RIGHT).
Her speech was appealing to many people. You could just tell. If you looked around the room she had everyones attention. Everyone was hearing what they wanted to hear. It's sad how they can just real someone in like this and then crush their dreams, while stealing their money. Her speech made it sound like it was this great opportunity. OPEN CASTING! But casting for what?
She then introduced another man. He was supposidely a manager for Nickelodeon Studios... A casting manager! He would be the one evaluating our audition. He needed children to work on his knew project in California. This was all very exciting to all of us. Now that I look back on him, he seems like a prop... A fake. But in the moment he seemed to all of us like a hero. Someone who would take us in and make all our dreams come true.
Next Collen came back to talk to us some more. She told us that after our auditions we would need to call them back with our audition number. They would then call us back again and tell us how we did.
When our number was called we would line up to go to the audition room where we would say a brief commercial into the camera with the man from Nickelodeon studios evaluating us. To think back on it now it is so sad. There were crippled grandmothers taking in the grandchildren to show some scam artists their talent. Some even came from out of state, and you could definitely tell they were not exactly wealthy. This is crime. They need to be stopped.
I said my commercial, and feeling confident, I left... I was then one of the "few" that got called into another room to be evaluated again. I remember the excitement I felt when I was called back again. She asked me many more pointless and fake questions like, "Amelia... How much are you interested in acting here?" "On a scale of one to ten how much do you want this?" Thinking back now, it seems as if this woman was believing her own lies. It's so disgusting how someone can knowingly face a dreaming child, pretend to deliver their dreams to them, and then steal from their parent.
She called my father back the next day and explained to him how I was one of the "few" that were selected! I was even in the 5th percential of the elite auditioners! I was chosen to (of course) take their most expensive classes. But there was nothing said about Nickelodeon or its new project. They then told my father that they wanted to meet with him to discuss this. They were RAVING about me. About how talented I was, how beautiful I was, and how much they wanted me! That is bull. I now have found out that they call everyone back and say the exact same thing.
Their classes coust thousands of dollars in which no one should pay. Money should never even come into the picture of acting or modeling until you are the one getting paid for the job. No professional place should ever ask you for money. If they want to sign you on, they pay YOU!
Feeling completely betrayed I searched them a bit more on the internet and looked at how much of scam artists they really are. It truly hurt me. I thought they were actually a window of opportunity for me.
Feeling hurt still, I called my best friend. Coincidentally her friend Abbey explained to me that she had gone through the same process. She had gone to the auditions as well, and they gave her the same EXACT garbage. They RAVED about her as well! It's funny, huh? Then she told me her friend actually bought the classes! And was never awarded with meeting any agencies or famous people. Nobody had connections, and the classes were horrible. She also told me that her friend never even learned anything. Most of all... Her friend wasn't even awarded with being in commercials or even commercial print.
My father is working with his lawyers and the media to try and help America discover who these people really are. Trust me, I am a child who went through this process. It DOES sound great when they call you back. It sounds like the perfect deal, but DO NOT believe them. They do not do a single thing for you, but take your MONEY! Please believe me, don't even waste your time. Please help me uncover who these people really are. Together we can win this fight.
I wasted my time, energy, nerves, and feelings on these people, and so have many other young children and adults. Please don't do the same. I am just happy that my family recognized who these people really are about before my parents payed for the classes.
Do not believe their garbage. It is absolutely not true. They will not help you, your children, or your parents. They are a scam! Believe me, i went through the process and documented my thoughts!
I have written them a letter. I am sending it tomorrow. I will let them know exactly how I feel about this. We'll see what they say back. But you know, with their busy dream killing scheduels... They might not have time to reply.
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